Beer distributor Bevport shows support for Black-owned breweries

Beer distributor BevPort has signed a deal with the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) to help advance the Black brewing community.

The minority-owned business, BevPort, which was originally founded to help small breweries gain visibility and grow their businesses through simpler distribution, has become NB2A’s “business council partner” and also has plans to further highlight Black brewers via its digital platform.

Speaking about the tie up, NB2A executive director Kevin Asato said: “The partnership helps facilitate our efforts towards increasing Black brewery ownership and addresses one of the barriers to success for many of our brewers…access. BevPort’s model will access markets, retailers and consumers that have been a challenge to reach for our members.”

BevPort managing partner Phil Guana stated: “Black and brown people are a highly underserved and unrepresented segment of the craft beer industry. As a minority-owned company, we’re passionate about supporting other minority-owned businesses, and giving them access to the distribution that they deserve. Our goal is to put more control back into the hands of brewers, creating a more equitable and inclusive industry that, frankly, offers consumers better beer choices, and gives breweries larger profit margins and more opportunities for growth. ”

The NB2A was launched in March 2023 by NBA Legend and 55th Mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson and is now a membership-based non-profit organisation created to promote, support and advocate for the Black brewing community. The association is governed by a board of directors composed of Black brewery owners and brew masters across the US.

A new three-tier compliant digital distribution portal, BevPort, which is positioned as a cost-effective e-commerce solution to distribution began in Florida but has plans to grow into key markets across the US. The business provides brewers entry into the state at a 15%-25% cost saving and removes many of the traditional distribution system’s barriers and limitations to help save brewers time and money, immediately introducing them to 5,000 buying accounts through its delivery partners.

BevPort recently teamed up with Country Malt Group (CMG) to help breweries gain better visibility and grow their businesses in the US. The business is the brainchild of industry veterans and entrepreneurs, James Williams and Philip Guana who, together, share over 50 years of combined beverage industry experience and have previously been involved in other e-commerce solutions with Edge Beverage Consulting.

Speaking to the drinks business, Williams described the business as “a massive game changer for craft brewers” and highlighted that now “they can now bypass major barriers to entry by not waiting to be signed with a large distributor with thousands of brands” but with a smaller business that has their best interests in mind.